audio | backdated to after the Meet & Greet

[thxforthememories]

[Coming to you from the Police HQ roof... is a groggy-sounding ninja bot. If he were human, one might say he sounded hungover...]

I don't think I like... high grade.

[A beat passes, metal scrapes -- someone pressing a hand to his face.]

For what it's worth... I'm sorry. To anyone I ran into.

And... the Chieftain? [He hesitates again, this time for different reasons.] My offer to you still stands. Regardless of how I acted... afterward.

Comments

[audio]

[thxforthememories]

I... am less than a human being. Less than a 'person'.

They made that very clear. I was disposable, to them. What else is that supposed to tell me?

[audio]

[rstlsslegsyndrm]

What?

That tells you the humans who made you obviously intended for you to be a slave and of nothing of true value! That is more than wrong, it's disgusting!

[audio]

[thxforthememories]

A... a slave?

I don't... know what that is.

[There wasn't any need to upload that kind of data when he was only meant to be erased, after a few months.]

[audio]

[rstlsslegsyndrm]

A slave is someone forced to work against their will. They are, as you say, considered disposable and often treated with little to no respect.

It is just... Again, I don't know if certain reactions you have are programmed, but... Certainly you've got a will of your own underneath all that slave-programming. Even if it's merely a sliver. Somehow, if you can expand, if you can really focus on any free thought... just. [sigh] I wish I could help you, but again, my medical knowledge is limited on your species.

[audio]

[thxforthememories]

But I wanted to do it. I wanted to train him --

[He pauses. This probably needs some explanation.]

I'm a prototype. I was made in order for another to be created... and then I was to train him. To test him. And I wanted to. He's important to me.

And, in the end... I chose to run away. When they told me it was time to be reformatted, I ran. That was my decision. I don't think I'm a slave.

[audio]

[rstlsslegsyndrm]

[This just keeps getting sadder and sadder, golldamn.]

See? You made choices for yourself. As such, you should consider yourself on the same level as humans. Not something less.

[audio]

[thxforthememories]

Yes...

But humans have souls. So do you living robots. I'm only data -- programming. Memory files. It's different, isn't it?

[audio]

[rstlsslegsyndrm]

Well, in your case, I guess a soul could be an accumulation of your emotions. Your will to survive. Your desires. It can all sort of come together. I'm not sure, to be honest, but I guess if you were to consider the following, it could work. [Placebo effect, but who cares.]

[audio]

[thxforthememories]

It...

Is that really possible?